In a number of countries such as New Zealand, introduced species of animal have had a detrimental effect on the indigenous or native plant, bird, insect, and other life.
In an attempt to control and exterminate pests, whether introduced species or not, a large number of different traps and similar mechanisms have been designed to capture and/or kill pests. A difficulty with many such traps is that the trapped pest does not die humanely and this can be a particular concern. A typical trap which is inhumane is the type of trap generally known as a gin trap which has a set of jaws to clamp a part of the pest. Normally in gin traps a pest is held until it either dies naturally or alternatively is killed by a person attending the trap.
In known traps, including household mouse traps, the pest's body is attached to the trap. This leads to waste, since some squeamish owners would rather throw the entire trap away than empty and reset the trap. This also sometime leads to the trap becoming dirty, especially if the trap is not emptied promptly and the pest's body decays. This may affect the functioning of the trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,247,066 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,896 both disclose a snare in which a noose is released onto a pest. A spring or elastic band is arranged so as to hold the noose around the pest, without tightening the noose. Nor does the spring or elastic band itself tighten sufficiently to kill the pest. The noose is tightened when the animal tries to escape, as with any conventional snare, restraining the animal in an inhumane manner. Both snares are intended to catch an animal alive. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,247,066 the spring is arranged to limit the minimum size of the noose so as to hold the animal without harming it (see page 2, right hand column, lines 38 to 70). These snares are therefore both restraining devices rather than extermination devices.
Furthermore, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,247,066 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,896 the animal, once snared, remains attached to the snare by the noose. This is necessary where animals are to be captured alive and the snares must therefore be checked regularly. However, it is undesirable in devices for extermination of pests, where traps may not be checked regularly and the pest remains decay, which results in a dirty trap, and the function of the trap may be affected. Also, if an animal is still attached to the snare another pest is unlikely to approach the snare to activate the trigger mechanism.
JP 2003070408 and JP 2001333683 both set forth a device for attaching a bell to a rat. The bell is held in place by an elastic band. However, the elastic band does not kill the rat.
An object of the invention is to provide an extermination device allowing extermination of a pest in a quick, efficient and humane manner, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight versatile user friendly relatively inexpensive means for exterminating pests which at least offers a useful alternative choice.
A further object of the invention is to provide a means for exterminating a pest which substantially eliminates the risk of killing wildlife which is intended to be saved or preserved by use of the means for extermination, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.